COOKIE MEMORIES ARE NICE, BUT... // Guest Post by Alice Loweecey

I love when my mystery and chocolate worlds collide. Today's post is by mystery author Alice Loweecey. Buy her latest book, mix up a batch of these fab cookies, and enjoy! Thanks, Alice.

ALICE LOWEECEY:

Cookie Memories are Nice, but… 

 

A cookie in the hand is better.

 

Back in the day, Archway made great childhood memories. The raspberry oatmeal ones were one of my favorites. They had a weird fold which sandwiched almost enough raspberry jam. Their frosted lemon ones—oh my. A little on the dry side for me, but the thin layer of icing made the perfect combination.

 

I’ve talked about non-chocolate cookies enough. Let’s get to the point here: Archway big, soft, fluffy chocolate chip cookies. They stopped using that recipe at some point. Like the raspberry and the lemon, the recipe changed somewhere along the line. The modern versions are average. Not special. I stopped looking with hopeful eyes at the cookie aisle in the grocery store and rolled up my sleeves. 

 

In the early 1980s a fellow nun gave me a recipe for chocolate chip cookies she said were different than the rest. The first time I baked them my mouth said “Archway!” I wrote the recipe to her dictation and kept that piece of notepaper for about 30 years, until it threatened to fall apart. Then I scanned it. 

 

Don’t worry. I won’t force anyone to read that! Here’s the recipe:

 

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Oven 375^o 

Makes 4-6 dozen, depending on desired size

 

In a large bowl, combine and mix well:

1 cup shortening

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1 cup evaporated milk

12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

 

In a separate bowl, sift:

2-1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

 

Combine both mixtures. Batter should be slightly stiff. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto parchment- or silicone-lined cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes until edges are browned. Let cool a few minutes before removing from cookie sheets.

 

Original Archway chocolate chip cookies were a good three inches across. These aren’t. I use a small cookie scoop to make them. They are light and fluffy and almost as good as a childhood memory. I’ll take it.

***

Lover of Fascinators and tormenter of characters, Alice Loweecey always celebrates the day she jumped the wall (code for kicking the habit of a nun). As herself, she has 9 mysteries with Midnight Ink and Henery Press. As Kate Morgan, she has 3 stand-alone horror novels with Dark Recesses Press and Omnium Gatherum. She also has several anthologized short stories.

 

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE: History, Info, and Recipes for National Devil's Food Cake Day

Because tomorrow is National Devil's Food Cake Day, I thought I'd revisit the question: What's the difference between Devil's Food Cake and Chocolate Cake? It's a good question, and as with so many questions, there are many different answers. Some recipes for Devil's Food Cake use cocoa, some melted chocolate, some add coffee or hot liquid, and some increase the baking soda. And, since it's National Devil's Food Cake Day, here are some answers.

According to Wikipedia:

Because of differing recipes and changing ingredient availability over the course of the twentieth century, it is difficult to precisely qualify what distinguishes Devil's food from the more standard chocolate cake. The traditional Devil's food cake is made with shredded beets much the way a carrot cake is made with carrots. The beets add moisture and sweetness to the cake, helping it to be very rich. The red of the beets slightly colors the cake red and due to the richness of the cake it became known as the Devil's food. 

O.k. That's a beet cake or a 'natural' red velvet cake, and I make a good one, but it's not a Devil's Food Cake in my opinion.  

Devil's food cake is generally more moist and airy than other chocolate cakes, and often uses cocoa as opposed to chocolate for the flavor as well as coffee. The lack of melted chocolate and the addition of coffee is typically what distinguishes a Devil's food cake from a chocolate cake, though some recipes call for all, resulting in an even richer chocolate flavor. The use of hot, or boiling water as the cake's main liquid, rather than milk, is also a common difference. 

Devil's food cake is sometimes distinguished from other chocolate cakes by the use of additional baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) which raises the pH level and makes the cake a deeper and darker mahogany color. Devil's food cake incorporates butter (or a substitute), egg whites, flour (while some chocolate cakes are flourless) and less egg than other chocolate cakes. Devil's food cake was introduced in the United States in the early 20th century with the recipe in print as early as 1905. 

A similar cake, the red velvet cake, is closely linked to a Devil's food cake, and in some turn of the century cookbooks the two names may have been interchangeable. Most red velvet cakes today use red food coloring, but even without it, the reaction of acidic vinegar and buttermilk tends to better reveal the red anthocyanin in the cocoa. When used in cakes, acid causes reddening of cocoa powder when baked, and before more alkaline "Dutch Processed" cocoa was widely available, the red color would have been more pronounced. This natural tinting may have been the source for the name "Red Velvet" as well as "Devil's Food" and a long list of similar names for chocolate cakes.

I'm partial to Devil's Food Cake.

Here are several mid-century recipes. Sorry about the light print on the first cookbook.

I've posted many Devil's Food Cake recipes in the past, but today I have four mid-century recipes.

The first recipe is for Cocoa Devil's Food Cake from How To Get the Most Out of Your Sunbeam Mixmaster (1950). I posted a "Mix-Easy" Devil's Food Cake for Mother's Day a few years ago, and you might want to look at that one, too. It's pretty much the same as the following recipe. The following page in the Sunbeam Mixmaster cookbook pamphlet is great for today's post since there's a Chocolate Cake recipe next to the Devil's Food Cake recipe.

This same cookbook has a recipe for Black Devil's Food Cake, so now we have Cocoa Devil's Food Cake, Black Devil's Food Cake, and a Red Devil's Food Cake. As you see, the following Black Devil's Food cake is made with cocoa and with the addition of strong hot coffee or boiling water.

The Red Devil's Food Cake is a variation on the Chocolate Fudge Cake on the same page, and to save space, they didn't reprint the entire recipe! It's a very small pamphlet. The baking soda is increased, but otherwise it's the same cake. This recipe is from the Recipes for your Hamilton Beach Mixer-17 Delicious New Cakes (1947). Don't you just love that someone wrote good next to the recipe? It's the same recipe I posted (but from a different pamphlet) on Devil's Food Cake Day for Mother's Day. 

And one more Red Devil's Food Cake from the same mid-century period. This one is from Kate Smith Chooses her 55 Favorite Ann Pillsbury CAKE RECIPES.

Enough Devil's Food Cake recipes? Never! Have a look at Martha Washington's Devil's Food Cake from Capitol Hill Cooks: Recipes from the White House by Linda Bauer. It's a great Buttermilk Devil's Food Cake!

So what's the difference between Devil's Food Cake and Chocolate Cake? You decide.

CHOCOLATE MAYONNAISE CAKE: 3 Retro Recipes for National Chocolate Cake Day

Today is National Chocolate Cake Day! So to celebrate the holiday I thought I'd post three great recipes for Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake. I've posted about chocolate mayonnaise cake before. You'd be surprised how many recipes there are. Seems like everyone's Aunt Sadie had a recipe. But it shouldn't be a surprise to you that mayonnaise was used so often in past generations. Do you remember mayonnaise in Jell-o molds? That used to be a staple at special occasions all over the U.S. If you don't remember, be glad! But in cake, it really works!

As I said there are many recipes for Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake. Here are two Retro recipes for Hellmann's Chocolate Mayo Cake and a newer recipe for a Chocolate Mayonnaise Bundt Cake. I have found several of these ads over the years--some recipes use eggs and some don't. I think the earlier recipes must be from the 30s and early 40s. 

Mayonnaise Cakes are really moist, so it's hard to go wrong on any of these recipes.

Word to the wise: Don't taste the batter before it's baked. It will taste a bit odd, but the final results will be delicious.

Want to try a variation of the recipes above? Use Miracle Whip instead of Mayonnaise. Totally different flavor. Most people are particular when it comes to the choice between Mayonnaise and Miracle Whip. I still think it's worth trying Miracle Whip in this chocolate cake recipe... or for that matter, in the bundt cake recipe below. 

And, just for good measure, here's a third recipe for Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake!

Chocolate Mayonnaise Bundt Cake

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
6 Tbsp dark cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla (or whatever you have)
1 cup mayonnaise (or Miracle Whip)
1 egg, whipped
1 cup lukewarm water
1 cup chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate 70% or higher cacao
powdered sugar

Directions
Blend dry ingredients.
Mix in vanilla, mayonnaise, egg, and water-- just enough to get all ingredients blended.
Fold in chocolate chips (broken up chocolate)
Pour into greased Bundt pan.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool cake.
Dust with powdered sugar.

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE vs CHOCOLATE CAKE: What's the Difference? National Devil's Food Cake Day

Because today is National Devil's Food Cake Day, I thought I'd revisit the question: What's the difference between Devil's Food Cake and Chocolate Cake? It's a good question, and there are many different answers. Some recipes use cocoa, some melted chocolate, some add coffee or hot liquid, and some increase the baking soda. And, since it's National Devil's Food Cake Day, here are some answers.


According to Wikipedia:

Because of differing recipes and changing ingredient availability over the course of the twentieth century, it is difficult to precisely qualify what distinguishes Devil's food from the more standard chocolate cake. The traditional Devil's food cake is made with shredded beets much the way a carrot cake is made with carrots. The beets add moisture and sweetness to the cake, helping it to be very rich. The red of the beets slightly colors the cake red and due to the richness of the cake it became known as the Devil's food. 

O.k. That's a beet cake or a 'natural' red velvet cake, and I make a good one, but it's not a Devil's Food Cake in my opinion.  

Devil's food cake is generally more moist and airy than other chocolate cakes, and often uses cocoa as opposed to chocolate for the flavor as well as coffee. The lack of melted chocolate and the addition of coffee is typically what distinguishes a Devil's food cake from a chocolate cake, though some recipes call for all, resulting in an even richer chocolate flavor. The use of hot, or boiling water as the cake's main liquid, rather than milk, is also a common difference. 

Devil's food cake is sometimes distinguished from other chocolate cakes by the use of additional baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) which raises the pH level and makes the cake a deeper and darker mahogany color. Devil's food cake incorporates butter (or a substitute), egg whites, flour (while some chocolate cakes are flourless) and less egg than other chocolate cakes. Devil's food cake was introduced in the United States in the early 20th century with the recipe in print as early as 1905. 

A similar cake, the red velvet cake, is closely linked to a Devil's food cake, and in some turn of the century cookbooks the two names may have been interchangeable. Most red velvet cakes today use red food coloring, but even without it, the reaction of acidic vinegar and buttermilk tends to better reveal the red anthocyanin in the cocoa. When used in cakes, acid causes reddening of cocoa powder when baked, and before more alkaline "Dutch Processed" cocoa was widely available, the red color would have been more pronounced. This natural tinting may have been the source for the name "Red Velvet" as well as "Devil's Food" and a long list of similar names for chocolate cakes.

I'm partial to Devil's Food Cake.

Here are several mid-century recipes. Sorry about the light print on the first cookbook.

I've posted many Devil's Food Cake recipes in the past, but today I have four mid-century recipes.

The first recipe is for Cocoa Devil's Food Cake from How To Get the Most Out of Your Sunbeam Mixmaster (1950). I posted a "Mix-Easy" Devil's Food Cake for Mother's Day a few years ago, and you might want to look at that one, too. It's pretty much the same as the following recipe. The following page in the Sunbeam Mixmaster cookbook pamphlet is great for today's post since there's a Chocolate Cake recipe next to the Devil's Food Cake recipe.

This same cookbook has a recipe for Black Devil's Food Cake, so now we have Cocoa Devil's Food Cake, Black Devil's Food Cake, and a Red Devil's Food Cake. As you see, the following Black Devil's Food cake is made with cocoa and with the addition of strong hot coffee or boiling water.

The Red Devil's Food Cake is a variation on the Chocolate Fudge Cake on the same page, and to save space, they didn't reprint the entire recipe! It's a very small pamphlet. The baking soda is increased, but otherwise it's the same cake. This recipe is from the Recipes for your Hamilton Beach Mixer-17 Delicious New Cakes (1947). Don't you just love that someone wrote good next to the recipe? It's the same recipe I posted (but from a different pamphlet) on Devil's Food Cake Day for Mother's Day. 

And one more Red Devil's Food Cake from the same mid-century period. This one is from Kate Smith Chooses her 55 Favorite Ann Pillsbury CAKE RECIPES.

Enough Devil's Food Cake recipes? Never! Have a look at Martha Washington's Devil's Food Cake from Capitol Hill Cooks: Recipes from the White House by Linda Bauer. It's a great Buttermilk Devil's Food Cake!

So what's the difference between Devil's Food Cake and Chocolate Cake? You decide.

Creme de Menthe Day: Grasshopper Pie -- 4 Recipes

Yesterday was Creme de Menthe Day,

and it's never too late to celebrate this holiday with Grasshopper Pie!

Grasshopper Pie is named because for its green color, although modern recipes may omit coloring the pie green. That would be a shame, though, since it's what makes it a classic. This pie was most likely invented in the 1950s in the U.S, and may have been inspired by the "Grasshopper Cocktail" invented at about the same time. Grasshopper Pie is a chiffon pie usually made with a Chocolate Cookie Crust, so you see why it's perfect for DyingforChocolate.com.

Chiffon pies in the 1950s were often a combination of whipping cream, gelatin, sugar, eggs, and flavoring (see vintage recipe at the end of this post). In the case of the Grasshopper Pie, common flavoring used was alcohol in the form of crème de menthe, and sometimes other alcohol like crème de cacao. For non-alcoholic pie, mint flavoring was achieved by using mint extracts instead, though these might still contain a tiny amount of alcohol. Green food coloring gave the pie a light green color.

There are huge differences between classic recipes for Grasshopper Pie and modern ones. Since gelatin can be annoying to work with, many people now prepare the pie by melting marshmallows and blending them with milk or whipping cream, and sometimes cream cheese. Several recipes advocate the use of specific cookies like Oreos in the crust, but I use chocolate wafers.

In the US, Grasshopper Pie tends to be most popular in the South, but other parts of the country enjoy it too. The pie rose in popularity especially up until the 1970s. Many ice cream stores capitalized on the flavor of this pie by producing their own version with mint or mint chocolate chip ice cream and a cookie crust. Some ice cream stores are particularly known for their grasshopper ice-cream pies.

Following are several different recipes for Grasshopper Pie. As I said, this is perfect for Creme de Menthe Day! Let me know if you have a special family recipe. Grasshopper Pie is so Retro!

Simple Grasshopper Mallow Pie  
 from Kraft

Ingredients
1/4 cup green creme de menthe
1 jar (7 oz.) JET-PUFFED Marshmallow Creme
1 pt. (2 cups) whipping cream, whipped
1 OREO Pie Crust (6 oz.)

ADD creme de menthe gradually to marshmallow creme in large bowl, beating with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Gently stir in whipped cream.
POUR into crust.
REFRIGERATE 4 to 6 hours or until chilled. Store leftover pie in refrigerator.

Frozen Grasshopper Pie
from cooks.com

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 rows Oreo cookies (lg. pkg.) crushed (you can also use chocolate wafers)

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup creme de menthe
1/4 cup white creme de cacao
2 cup (1 pt.) whipping cream, whipped

Directions
Combine crushed Oreos and butter and press in bottom of 9 x 13 inch pan.
In large bowl combine sweetened milk, creme de menthe and creme de cacao.
Fold in whipped cream.
Pour over crust. Cover.
Freeze 6 hours or until firm. Garnish with chocolate curls. Return leftovers to freezer.

Expert Grasshopper Pie  
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients
Crust:
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
22 chocolate wafer cookies
3 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
1 cup whole milk
Pinch of salt
3 large egg yolks
2 Tbsp cornstarch
6 ounces good-quality white chocolate (such as Baker’s or Lindt), chopped
2 Tbsp sweet butter
2 Tbsp green crème de menthe
2 Tbsp light crème de cacao
3/4 cup chilled whipping cream
Shaved white and dark chocolates

Directions 
For crust: Spray 9-inch-diameter glass or ceramic pie dish with nonstick spray. Finely grind chocolate cookies and sugar in processor. Blend in butter. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and up sides of prepared dish. Freeze. 

For filling: Combine milk and salt in heavy small saucepan. Bring to simmer. Whisk egg yolks and cornstarch in medium bowl to blend well. Gradually whisk in hot milk mixture. Return mixture to same saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until mixture thickens, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Add white chocolate and butter; whisk until smooth. Transfer custard to large bowl. Whisk in crème de menthe and crème de cacao. Set custard over another large bowl of ice water until cold and thick but not set, stirring often, about 30 minutes.
Whip cream in medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Stir 1/3 of whipped cream into custard. Fold in remaining whipped cream. Pour filling into crust. Freeze at least 5 hours or up to 2 days. Garnish with shaved chocolates.

And one more,  
Vintage Cookbook Recipe for Grasshopper Pie that includes gelatin!

Easy Chocolate Ice Cream without a Machine

So it's summertime here in the Northern hemisphere, and what's summer without ice cream?  Today is Soft Ice Cream Day, so why not celebrate by making your own? Don't have an ice cream maker? No problem. Here are two recipes that are easy and delicious. As always, your final product will only be as good as your ingredients, so use the BEST! Think these are  new recipes? Check out the Elsie the Cow recipe for Magic Chocolate Ice Cream at the end of this post!

1. Easy Chocolate Ice Cream without a Machine!

Ingredients 
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa powder
1 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla extract

Directions
In medium bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, cocoa powder, and vanilla. Set aside.
In bowl of mixer, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form (do not over beat)
Fold sweetened milk mixture into whipped cream.
Pour into 2 quart container, cover, and freeze for 6 hours or overnight.

2. Easy Rocky Road Ice Cream without a Machine!
You can use the recipe above and just add the nuts and marshmallows--it will have a softer consistency...or try this one.. To have plain Chocolate Ice Cream using the following recipe, just omit the nuts and marshmallows.

Ingredients
4 oz dark (70-75% cacao) chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla
Pinch of Kosher Salt
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or chopped roasted almonds)
1/2 cup mini-marshmallows

Directions
Combine chocolate and condensed milk in top of double boiler or saucepan over saucepan over simmering water. After chocolate has melted, take off stove and stir in vanilla and salt. Set aside to cool.
In large mixer bowl, add 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream and whip on high speed until stiff peaks form. When cream has stiffened, whip in 1/3 of chocolate mixture and fold in remaining chocolate. Then fold in nuts and mini-marshmallows.
Pour mixture into quart-sized plastic container with an air--tight lid. Freeze2 to 3 hours.
Eat the same day.

Marshmallow Fluff Fudge: 2 Retro Ads & Recipes

I can never have too many Fudge recipes. Yes, I have my favorites, but sometimes you just want to experiment. So, you can see why I really like these two Vintage Ads & Recipes, both of which use Marshmallow Fluff as a major ingredient. Marshmallow Fluff you ask? You may know this product as Marshmallow Creme. You can make it at home or you can buy a jar. Can't find it at your market? Try Amazon or another online store. I usually have a jar in the pantry. O.K. not the healthiest of ingredients, but it's special and really adds to the flavor in these Fudge recipes!

So here are two Retro Ads and Recipes for Marshmallow Fluff Fudge!

Devil's Food Cake Day! Retro Devil's Food Cake Ads & Recipes!

Baker's Ad 1933

Today is Devil's Food Cake Day! Devil's Food Cake is one of the most popular chocolate cakes in the United States. Because of that I've posted many Recipes and Retro Ads, but here are a few more for Devil's Food Cake!

You might also want to check out my post on Devil's Cake vs Chocolate Cake.

Want to drink your Devil's Food Cake today? Head over to The Martini Diva for a Devil's Food Cake Martini.

Hope you enjoy this Round-up of Retro Devil's Food Cake ads. Have a big piece of Devil's Food Cake to celebrate!

Baker's Chocolate Ad 1940s

The Baker's Ads are earlier and everything is from scratch, but as you know from reading this blog, boxed mixes came in as a space saving measure after World War II, so I have several ads for Betty Crocker and Duncan Hines.

Devil's Food Cake: Retro Ads & Recipes

Baker's Ad 1933

Yesterday was National Angel's Food Cake Day, and I posted a recipe for Chocolate Angel Food Cake--light and heavenly! Well, today I'm for having the Devil pay, so I'm making a Devil's Food Cake. Dense and dark!

Devil's Food Cake is one of the most popular chocolate cakes in the United States. Because of that I've posted many Recipes and Retro Ads, but here are a few more for Devil's Food Cake!

Want to drink your Devil's Food Cake today? Head over to The Martini Diva for a Devil's Food Cake Martini.

Hope you enjoy this Round-up of Retro Devil's Food Cake ads. Have a big piece of Devil's Food Cake to celebrate! And, in case you're really an Angel.. you can make  Chocolate Angel Food's Cake.

Baker's Chocolate Ad 1940s

The Baker's Ads are earlier and everything is from scratch, but as you know from reading this blog, boxed mixes came in as a space saving measure after World War II, so I have several ads for Betty Crocker and Duncan Hines.

National Chocolate Pudding Day: Retro Ads & Recipes

I posted this last year on National Chocolate Pudding Day,  but I just had to repost! I love these Retro Ads & Recipes, and this was such a cool ad campaign. Of course, you can make your own pudding from scratch. I usually do. But it's amazing what an impact powdered chocolate pudding made on the American food landscape. 

According to Jell-O history, chocolate pudding was introduced into the Jell-O family early on but discontinued in 1927. In 1936, chocolate returned to the Jell-O lineup, this time as an instant pudding made with milk. Just an FYI, today there are several Jell-o chocolate pudding flavors including Devil's Food, Double Chocolate, Chocolate Fudge and Oreo Cookies 'n Creme.

Jell-O Pudding in the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s jumped on the advertising bandwagon of this easy yet versatile dessert. I was especially taken by the Jell-O Chocolate Pudding Ad campaign of the 60s. Do you think Don Draper had the account?

So for your pleasure on this yummy holiday, I give you the Jell-O "Now, pudding is..." Each advertisement includes a recipe, too. Advertisements appeared in Life Magazine.

Now, pudding is cheesecake: May 26, 1967

Now, pudding is pop: June 23, 1967

Now, pudding is napoleons: April 28, 1967
 

Now, pudding is torte: September 15, 1967

Now, pudding is eclairs: January 19, 1968

Now, pudding is fudge: March 8, 1968

Now, pudding is Boston Cream Pie: March 29, 1968

Now, pudding is brownies: October 11, 1968

Now, pudding is Bavarian: July 12, 1968